Same Auld Lang Syne
by tudor-rose445
Summary: Modern Day. Raoul bumps into Christine at a supermarket months after the night of the torture chamber. She has stayed with Erik against her will. Based on the song of the same title by, Dan Folgelberg.


A/N: I know. It's a Christmas song. But I thought this song would fit with the three of them. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. "The Phantom of the Opera" belongs to Gaston Leroux. " Phantom" belongs to Susan Kay. "Same Auld Lang Syne" belongs to Dan Folgelberg. The last sentance is based off of the last lyric of the song. Some of the sentances might be based off some of the lyrics.

Raoul de Chagny brushed off a large amount of snow that had gathered on his coat during the short walk from his car to the super market. He shivered, feeling a bit of the snow go down his back. He removed the gloves from his hands before picking up a small basket. He ran over the list of food items that were needed in his head: bread, milk, soup. He headed down one aisle, placing a loaf of potato bread in the basket.

He side stepped a middle aged woman with a baby carriage, making his way further down the aisle. He walked past the frozen food section, bumping into a woman. The package of frozen vegetables in her hands went flying, showing that she had clearly not seen him near her. "I'm so sorry, m'am," he said, kneeling down to pick up the package. Raoul straightened up, his hand pausing on it's way to hand her the package.

Was that her?

"Christine?" he asked, hesitantly. That had to be her. She seemed exactly like he had remembered her. Her dark, brown curls were hanging free of any clips on her shoulders. She still held the air of innocence that he had remembered for so long.

The woman watched him for a moment, her blue eyes widening in recognition. "Raoul!" she said, forgetting completely about the package in her hands. It fell to the ground once more, forgotten by her. Christine embraced him tightly, knocking her designer pocket book from it's place in her shopping cart. She blushed, as Raoul laughed. He pulled back from her after a few moments, studying her.

"When did you become such a klutz, Christine?" Raoul asked, jokingly. Her blush deepened as she bent down to pick up her bag and package. "You, of all people, should know that I am not clumsy at all," she said as she placed both items in her cart.

Christine began to push the cart forward, gesturing for Raoul to walk along beside her. She picked up a frozen chicken package, looking it over for a moment before adding it to her pile of items in her cart. "Are you heading to checkout?" she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

Raoul glanced down at the one item in his basket, forgetting about the other two that were needed. "Yeah," he said, smiling as he began to walk with her. Loosing the chance to talk to her after a year was worse than not having milk or soup for the night. He accompanied her to the checkouts, getting in line behind her.

"He's letting you out on your own now?" he asked, picking up a box of cereal from her cart and placing it on the conveyer belt. Christine stiffened for a moment before quickly placing a few boxes of pasta onto the belt. "He does…occasionally," she answered, moving further down to where the cashier was. While waiting for the young man behind the counter to finish totaling up her purchases, she glancing over at Raoul. "He trusts me."

She handed over a wad of bills to the cashier before moving to bag her items. After paying for his loaf of bread, Raoul joined her. "Have you been singing? Professionally lately?"

Christine lifted a full bag into the cart before answering. "I still am," she said, "I was in an opera a few months ago, but I am taking time off now." She began to push the full cart towards the exit of the store, Raoul walking beside her.

She ducked her head against the occasional blow of snow that came their way. He placed a hesitant arm around her, keeping her from straying too far away from the line of cars she was walking past. Christine looked up, a bit surprised by the action, but gave him a small smile. She finally stopped in front of an expensive looking, red car. She pulled out a set of keys from her bag and pressed her thumb down on a button. The car's headlight's flashed for a moment, and a click resounded.

She lifted up the trunk of the car, placing a bag inside it afterward. Raoul helped her load the bags into the trunk and shut it after the cart was empty. She deposited the cart alongside others a few yards from her car. Christine rested a hand on her car after she came back, looking down at it for a moment. It was, or as Raoul thought, an awkward moment. "Would…would you like to go get a drink or something? To catch up?" he asked, after a moment. She lifted her head, thinking. "Yes….that would be nice." She gave him a smile before heading around to the driver's side of the car. She opened the door, gesturing to him to go around to the passenger's side.

Raoul set himself down in the seat, placing his bag on his lap. Christine slammed the door closed, clapping her hands together to warm them. She started up the car, waiting a moment before turning on the heat. She removed the woolen, black gloves from her hands before backing the car out of the parking space. She drove it to the street light outside of the parking lot, waiting for the light to change to green.

"Do you know any good bars around here?" she asked, turning to look at him before returning her attention to the road. "As you know, I'm not much of a drinker. The last time I went out to a bar was with you." A smile graced her face at the thought. "Do you remember that?"

Raoul laughed, recalling the memory. "How could I forget?" he asked, trying to calm himself. "That was the night I learnt you were a terrible drunk." Christine blushed, sending the car down the road. "I never drank that much before. If I recall, you had a hand in it."

He glanced at her, a look of mock horror on his face at her accusation. "You think it was my fault?" he asked, incredulously. "Pray tell how I was apart of it." She twisted the wheel around, making another turn.

"You shouldn't have taken me out that night," she said, laughing despite herself. "It was your fault I had that hangover the next morning."

"Ah," he said, retaliating. "But I was the one that was holding your hair back while you spewed the contents of your stomach the next morning."

Christine rolled her eyes at him, playfully. "How about we just get coffee, then? No alcohol."

"I can deal with that."

She pulled into another shopping center, parking her car in a parking space close to the coffee house. "Cappuccino with cinnamon, right?" she asked, opening her car door. Raoul smiled, nodding. "You know me too well," he said, watching as she grabbed her bag. She flashed him a smile before closing the door to the car and heading towards the coffee house.

Raoul turned to look around the car, taking in the expensive looking leather seats. Erik had certainly bought the best for his wife. Was the car and the designer bags only gifts? Bribes to make her happy? Erik should certainly know that money cannot buy happiness.

Christine returned a few minutes later, two cups in her hands. Raoul leant over her seat to open the door for her. She stepped inside, murmuring a thanks. She handed him his cup, raising the heat afterward. She wrapped her hands around the cup in an attempt to warm her hands.

"Thanks," he said, warming his hands with his own cup. She smiled softly in acknowledgement before taking a sip of her steaming coffee. A silence filled the car, the two choosing to enjoy each other's company.

Raoul shifted the cup in his hands, turning to look at Christine after a moment. "So….how are you?"

She smiled at the blunt question. "I'm alright. And you?"

Raoul waited a moment before answering. "I've been better," he said, keeping his eyes on her. She turned to look at him, meeting his gaze for a second. She quickly looked down and took a sip of her coffee. He took a sip of his own, a look of confusion on his face as he sipped it.

"I had a little rum put in it, to help warm you," she said, answering his confused look. He nodded in understanding, taking another sip.

"Are you….happy?" The question came out hesitantly from him. She mulled over the steaming liquid for a few moments.

"I'm safe, and I'm provided for. And I'm loved. I…I'm happy." She took another sip of the coffee, as if to distract herself.

Raoul focused on the snowflakes falling onto the front hood of the car, tapping his fingers lightly on the cup. Her next words surprised him.

"You…you know, I've missed you. You were- are- still my best friend, besides Meg.."

He looked back over at her, lowering his cup slightly. "I've missed you too," he answered, his voice quiet. He paused for a moment. "I still love you, Christine. You know that won't change."

"I know," she said, her grip on the cup tightening slightly. Her next words came out a bit choked. "I…I love you too. I always have. All the way back to when we were children." Her solemn mood lightened slightly, as she looked back over at him. "Do you remember when we used to play house together? Or rather, when I made you play house with me."

He laughed, helping to push the quiet atmosphere from the car. "Of course I remember that! We used to play in your little house in your backyard. I can still see it. The pink outside, the white shutters." Raoul smiled at the memory.

"I kissed you, then. Do you remember that?"

She blushed slightly at the memory. "I remember. I was actually a bit stunned. I was afraid Papa would yell at you." Christine's smile widened, before taking another sip from her coffee. She raised the heat of the car once more, sitting back in her seat. "I can't get warm," she said, clasping her hands tighter around the cup.

Raoul frowned, leaning towards her slightly. "The rum isn't working?" he asked. Christine shifted the cup in her hands, uncomfortably. "I…I didn't get any," she mumbled, looking down at the plastic covering of the cup.

"Why not? Do you want some of mine?"

She shook her head, not lifting her eyes form the cup. "I can't have any liquor. I…I'm expecting our first child in the spring."

Raoul sat back in his seat, trying to hide his astonishment. "Oh…" he said, inwardly kicking himself for how stupid he sounded. "I mean…. congratulations."

"Thank you." Christine finally looked up at him for a moment, placing the coffee in the cup holder next to her. Silence filled the car once more. Raoul placed his cup beside hers, trying to catch her eyes.

"Christine…do you love him?"

Christine stayed silent, placing her hands on the wheel of the car. Her silence seemed to go on for hours for Raoul, until she broke it a few seconds later. "I'm not sure," she said, her voice shaky. "I mean…part of me does but…." She trailed off, letting her head rest against the back of the seat.

"Memories of that night keep me from loving him fully. Of what he did to you and Nadir. Or at least, what he would have done."

He remembered vividly at her words the mirrored room. The heat of the room that had caused him to almost collapse. Not knowing if he would ever see Christine again.

Christine's eyes flickered to the digital numbers of the car, sighing at the sight of the time. "I should be heading back. Erik will be worried if I get home too late." She pulled out of the parking space and out of the shopping center. An uncomfortable quiet feeling settled around them as she drove the car down the road.

She pulled into the super market's shopping center, in what seemed like only seconds, parking lot. She stopped the car, turning in her seat to look at him. "It's bee nice seeing you," she said, her voice shaking. Christine ducked her head, trying to hide the mist of tears that were building up. Raoul placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"Christine….if you ever need help….call me, alright?" He opened the car door reluctantly, but made no move to get out of the vehicle. She raised her head, her moist, blue eyes meeting his. "I will," she said, taking a deep breath. He leaned across the seat, kissing her. He broke away after a moment, feeling tears in his own eyes.

"I love you. Don't forget that. Alright?"

Christine nodded, tears escaping her eyes. "I love you too." She paused, taking a shaky breath in an attempt to stop herself from crying. "Have a merry Christmas, Raoul. Even if it is a few days away." She laughed despite herself at the weird timing of what she had said. He let out a shaky laugh and got out of the car. "And a merry Christmas to you, Christine."

He paused, before closing the door partway. "Goodbye." She turned to look out the windshield, letting the windshield wipers dust the snow from the glass. She raised up a shaking hand to her eyes, wiping them of her tears. She reluctantly started up the car and drove it towards the exit of the shopping center.

Raoul stood there, among the blowing snow and cold, and watched her drive toward the exit. He let out a deep breath, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. His eyes trailed after her as she drove down the road and out of sight. He stood there for a few more moments, as the snow falling from the sky turned into rain drops.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review! As I put in the disclaimer, the last sentance is not all mine. It is based off of the last lyric of the song. Some of the other sentances might be based off of the lyrics, also.


End file.
